It’s vital that today’s food service professionals have not just culinary expertise, but also business, management and critical thinking skills. Well-paying management positions in the expanding range of food and food service companies continue to expand around the world, along with the need for educated, experienced leaders.
I would probably enjoy using the online ordering features and the tablets, however many may disagree. Olive Garden is a family style restaurant which means parents and grandparents dine there as well. All the technology may be confusing and difficult to use for some of them.
Online ordering and online reservations would be convenient for the younger generations. The elder ones likely wouldn't use it much, but the new technology is being implemented to cater to the future of technologically advanced individuals. The only thing I disagree with is putting tablets on the tables in restaurants. The point of going out to eat is to communicate with the other people you go with. Even if the tablets are just used for storing menus, it would be difficult for larger parties to read/order from, and I imagine it would be near impossible to keep them clean for an extended period of time.
I feel that the online ordering will boost to go revenue. This way the guest is not trying to order from memory. They actually have options that may encourage them to try something new or order something extra.
I feel like the company should not waste the time with pursuing an online reservation system. These are middle of the pack chain restaurants. They turn over a lot of tables per night. I feel like if they are taking reservations they are actually limiting the amount of guest they can take in at one time. If I have a table reserved for 8pm. That means that I cannot set anyone eels in that table starting at 7pm. Therefore, in holding one table I am actually limiting myself one table. Also online reservations services such as open table and rezbook cost money per month. The restaurant may get a discount because there are so many in them, but they are still goanna be charged something every month. I feel like the entire system is counterproductive. This is why Darden stock is down about 6% year to date and companies are jumping ship on them i.e. Red Lobster.
I feel like the use of tablets at longhorns is the same thing as putting lipstick on a pig. I worked at a restaurant in 2010 where we had two iPads. We would distribute them to our guest with our wine list in them. It would have tasting notes and little tidbits about the wine. We found that when we put them on a table our wine sales would rise slightly. However, we found that people would play with them and it would intern slow down our turnover rate. I feel like longhorns should focus on training their employees and working on their culinary skills. I went to longhorns two weeks ago with about 9other people. The service was ok but they failed at simple things like refilling the table’s water. The kitchen also messed up at least three dishes at the table. Remaking them cost the restaurant in food cost. The combination of messed up food and subpar service does not equal a good experience, or a returning customer.
While I see the benefit of advancing technology within restaurants, I think there is a point that it goes too far. Personally, I expect service when I go out to a restaurant. I expect human interaction on a certain level. Table-top tablets will take away from that human interaction. If I'm going to go out to eat, and instead am prompted to use a touch screen tablet, I might as well just get take-out and eat at home. The tablets take away from part of the experience of dining in at a restaurant. However, I do not think the online ordering or the reservations is a bad idea. It adds to the convenience and decreases the availability for human error. By ordering online, you don't have to worry about saying the name of the item right, or remembering what all of your friends wanted. Instead you just run down the menu online and add what you want to your cart. On top of that, it adds to convenience in that if you are in a noisy area when you want to order, you don't have to worry about the person on the other end being able to hear you. On the restaurant end of things, there is less of a chance of the host(ess) making an error while taking the order on the phone. With the reservations, I think it also adds to convenience. It helps to keep customers less frustrated with long waits. Instead of leaving home and getting to the restaurant and having to wait an hour, if the guest can see there is a long wait they can add their name and take a bit more time to get ready. This keeps the lobby of the restaurant less crowded and guests happier overall. So in general, I feel as though online ordering and reservations will help promote the growth of those restaurants, the table-top tablets may decrease growth in the restaurant because of the decrease in human interaction.
It's a really intelligent idea for companies to get on the technology bandwagon, but it's important to not go overboard. To be able to immediately see wait times and make reservations an hour or less in advance just on your phone would be incredibly convenient for everybody, as well as for the text message to alert you when your table is ready. Many olive gardens already have that buzzer to tell you your reservation is ready, but having it on your phone opens up options to wander around, like if you were at a mall, or to just not deal with the obnoxious buzzer that twenty other people have probably already touched that night. On the other side touch screen ordering tablets really seem like a bad idea to me. Already people easily get frustrated with technology, or when food comes out wrong-add those together and it's a disaster. As other people have already said it might be kind of gross-if an establishment doesn't clean tables well imagine what a gross touch screen would look like. Not to mention you'll have children potentially banging on them and clumsy servers or customers spilling drinks on them, it just seems like a hassle. Not to mention the lack of service you get-I'd rather get a friendly smiling server than have to order from a tablet and not have my server say anything to me. So while sometimes technology is good-it can also just become over the top and is really obsolete in some situations.
All the times I've been to restaurants and wishing they had a waiting device that made it so I could go out and shop while I waited for an available table and who would have thought Darden would be the first to think of it, I'm not surprised. I think it is a brilliant idea. With all the tech savvy people in the world today I really think people will make good use of this idea. I personally would use this concept. It would take some getting used to especially being able to make reservations online, just because I'm so used to just directly contacting the restaurant to handle that. AD
This is something I am looking forward to using hopefully at restaurants other than the Olive Garden. It is a great idea and helps to save trips. There have been several times where I have forgotten to call a restaurant before heading there to see how long a wait may be. I like how it allows for room to plan accordingly, for example, filling in the wait time with some errands and such.
I believe that the idea of using more technology can be a huge competitive advantage. The use of tablets can be very efficient for the customer and can make them feel more relaxed and enjoy their time out. The idea of online reservation is brilliant. This saves the customer not only a lot of time, but gas as well. The guest can see ahead of time if the restaurant is fully booked or the wait is too long.
There can be many problems with the use of technology also. First and foremost, stocking all of your restaurants with this technology will be unbelievably expensive. Second, technology breaks and has malfunctions. If your technology fails during a busy Friday night, the results can be catastrophic.
It is great that they are trying to introduce technology into their company, because it is going make thing a lot easier for everyone involved. Being able to see what table are available on what day and time and even how long the wait is going to allow for everyone to plan to their needs and their schedule. It will also allow for the hostess to know what times there restaurant going to business ahead of time and allow them to plan according. I also like the idea of being able to pay at you table. This allows for you to be able to pay when you ready and not have to wait for the waiter to return with a check and then the receipt. The down side to putting technology into their restaurants is that it may raise the price to where majority of the client can no long afford to go. The second down fall is that they may not have enough processing power, and this may cause the system to shut down or malfunction. The last down side is that they would be turning away people who are not big tech people.
We live in a very fast paced society where everyone is always on the go and technology is supposed to make our lives easier. With both men and women having careers there is no one to cook dinner for the family on a busy weeknight. I could see people ordering Olive Garden food from their computer at work and picking it up on the way home for a no hassle dinner. It is very convenient and I think Olive Garden will definitely get more customers by offering this. I think the best idea in the article is that customers will be able to check in for an olive garden restaurant online and receive updates about how much longer their table will be. Who likes going out on a Friday or Saturday night and waiting an hour for a table in a crowded restaurant lobby? I know I don't. This will allow customers to wait in the comfort of their home until their table is ready. The only problem I foresee with all this new technology is the loss of human interaction and customer service. I think one of the major parts of going out to eat is the service received and the entire dining experience. The idea of adding table top tablets for customers takes away from the human contact and customer service that a real waiter can provide to guests.
Technology is quickly consuming society and I think it is super smart for restaurants to adapt and change to this. With this being said, I really dislike the idea of having tablets at all the tables. When I go out to dinner it is so have a conversation with my friends and family. If there are tablets everywhere, people are going to be consumed with the technology and the personal interactions are gone. I do feel it is smart to be able to pay on the tablets though. This makes the paying process so much fast and easier. It can be annoying waiting for a waiter/waitress to get your check back to you and this will allow you to avoid that problem. Also this could help restaurant turnover because your staff has one less thing to worry about. When it comes to Olive Garden, I think it is extremely smart for them to have online ordering. Online ordering is quick, easy, and convenient and I think this will make them more of a profit. No one wants to sit and wait forever to get their food and by ordering online all they have to do is pick it up. I personally like to order online because it is easy, and if Olive Garden does do this, I would probably order from them. SMK
I think introducing technology into there restaurants is good idea. Especially with our generation because we grew up using technology. Also I think its cool that you can view how long of a wait there is at each restaurant. It’s very convenient because you can plan your evening and you will receive a text message when a table is available. It will save the customers a lot of time, because many people don't want to wait along time to be seated. but if they were able to view this in advance it will make their evening more enjoyable.
I think they could run into problems to because even though technology is great thing it can also we unreliable. For example if it runs on Wi-Fi will the Wi-Fi be able to support that many tablets all at once. If they’re not going to work properly customers will get aggravated. Also Darden restaurants seem very family oriented many of the families go out to spend time with their families and get away for all the technology. But I think many of the older generation wouldn't like this added feature because technology is so new to them. It may be hard for them to understand how to use the tablets. Overall I think it would worth a shot, get customers feedback and go from there. It would also help with advertising of the company. SC
I think this could be a good idea since we live in a society that is so dependent on technology and this will be the next big thing in the restaurant field. It will also make ordering a lot faster if you are on a tight schedule. But on the bad side is that you will miss out on the dining experience that people go out for. it will give another reason for customers to use technology instead of interacting with the company that they have and the server. In all it would interesting to see what happens with this new idea they have. SMC
I think online ordering will benefit Olive Garden because they will be able to fill more order by not have the constraints of the restaurant size. Also offering online ordering and online reservations will allow the restaurants to keep up with today's society and compete with the restaurants already offering these services. I think tabletop tablets may except the dining experience people go to a restaurant for. Overall I think technology will help to streamline the experience at a restaurant but it may make it worse if there are technological glitches and there is not as much staff there to pick up the slack. Also it may prevent some consumers from attending those restaurants if they are not as comfortable using technology as others. LAW
In my opinion technology will be the downfall of the service industry and lead to a loss in jobs in our industry. With the introduction of tablets that can take your order, host stands you can sign-in to yourself, and online ordering who’s to say that a host or waitress is even necessary. There is a large pool of the population that is qualified to do these jobs that this new technology can accomplish in their place. All that would be necessary is someone to place the food at your table or deliver it to your car. We all benefit from human interaction no matter how trivial it may seem in our technological world, accepting these new "improvements" in our everyday life is a double-edged sword. These technological advancements may seem more effective and time saving, but is it really worth risking our humanity? MM
I think that these tablets could definitely help to reduce stress and pressure amongst the waitstaff, which I'm sure would be appreciated. It could also potentially speed up service, which Olive Garden could definitely use. I just hope that this won't be another technology addition that starts to add to the job shortage we're experiencing. Waiting tables is a job that is essentially all about being personable and having a good memory, and these tablets could take over that portion of the job for them. What makes a good waiter a good waiter if they don't have to take orders anymore?
For a series of chains that Americans have now long been familiar with, introducing technology in the ways that Darden plans to can be very beneficial. It gives both long-time customers and new ones something different to engage in during their dining experience. The concept of online ordering caters to the busy, fast-paced, and "i want it now" life style that many consumers have. The fact that customers will soon be able to review reservation waiting times also helps cut down on customer frustration and over-crowded restaurants, overall bettering the experience for the consumer. One of the few negatives that could be concerning for restaurants such as Olive Garden is that the implantation of such technologies will take away from the "real restaurant" dining experience, and push it further into the "fast food" category. What makes something a real restaurant? To me it is all about the service and the atmosphere. With this new technology, the service will definitely change, possibly become less personal. With faster service the atmosphere will also change, possibly becoming more rushed and hurried compared to the slower pace Olive Garden now exhibits.
The increased use of technology in restaurants has both pros and cons. In my opinion, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. For instance, most people nowadays are always looking out for newest and latest technology. Bringing tablet-like devices into restaurants would generate a high level of interest while bringing another dimension of excitement in dining out. It also adds convenience to the dining experience, such as allowing the guests to order their food as quickly or as leisurely as they would like -- thus, being able to control the pace of service to their liking. Targeted marketing also can come into play, allowing guests to see recommendations for them based on their past picks.
As for the cons, the level of personal one-on-one service from a real-life server would be reduced with the use of these tablets. However, I think there are ways to overcome this. Servers would still be there to serve the food to the guests. Therefore, this contact between the server and the customer can be enhanced because the server can focus on talking to the guests and creating an enjoyable dining experience.
Overall I think that introducing technology in restaurants such as Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse is a great idea.
Although it may seem very beneficial to have online ordering, and tablets at each table, I think that they may be a distraction towards the reason everyone goes out to dinner. To simply have a good time with friends or family. Tablets, like phones, don't promote face to face contact at all. That being said, I do believe that online table reservations is a great idea. People, our age, rarely talk on the phone anymore and being able to look up wait times would be a lot easier than calling to check and putting your name down for a table. Also being able to receive a text when your table is ready is great because then customers can do something else while they wait. They would no longer have to wait within the restaurant for upwards of two hours for a table. Overall, what Darden is doing, by introducing technology into restaurants, seems like a good idea. JF
I believe that online ordering will help Olive Garden. I think a lot of people do not like talking on the phone so ordering online will make them more comfortable. It also makes it easier on the restaurant because they do not need to worry about messing up orders by not hearing people on the phones. It makes the customers feel more at ease because they know everything was sent in right and should not be messed up. Online reservations sounds like a good idea. People now a days, like I said before, do not care for the idea of talking on the phone. This will make customers happy and more open to going to the restaurant. Overall, I think the new technology is a good idea and will get more customers to go.
I believe that using the tablets for taking orders and reservations is a great way to introduce future technologies. It is a great way to decrease messed up orders, and increase satisfaction of customers. Another great thing about the online system is allergy notices. You can clearly note an allergy and contact with the certain allergy can be reduced at all costs. Another great thing about this idea is the paying station at the table. I know some servers take a long time to get the check and return the money. As well as large groups of people going and splitting the check because that is always a hassle with servers. This experiment should be very successful for the future of the restaurants. I can see a very large turn out in the companies after this is a settled deal. NMEC
I think this is a good idea but not for all restaurants. When I go out to eat I want to enjoy talking and being with the company of others. I don't like when people are on there phones when I'm having a conversation. I also wonder how this is going to work with the older generation who is not really into technology or know how to use it. I think the online reservations is fine but do we really need tablets to take our orders. I am not big on technology and how its taking over everyone lives. JT
With all the technology out there this isn't a bad idea. With all of the things that can happen this isn't a bad thing. This could make it easier or harder for the restaurant. I think it is a good idea. This may ruined the guest experience at the restaurant.
I think it is a great idea, and also very convenient for Olive Garden to have online ordering, and online reservations. I think having new tech have both pros and cons.
For the pros, so many people are involved with technology these days. A lot of people have smart phones, lab top, tablets, and etc. Almost everyone knows how to use the technology. So, it will be so much easier for Olive garden to expect how many people in what hours, and also easier for the customers, because if they know the reservations, and the schedules, they don't have to wait forever to be seated. Also, I think it is a brilliant idea that customer can pay their bill on their table, which saves some time.
For cons, I think it will be very confusing and difficult for elderly. Also, if something goes wrong with the system, it will affect everyone at the Olive Garden. Moreover, it might be way too expensive to all the devices for each tables, and they have to fix it when it is broken.
Overall, I think having new tech in the restaurant is a great idea.
I feel that this is a very different approach than I would expect from Darden, but I feel that it will be successful. Americans are always on the go. With ordering online especially from mobile devices will make it easy to pick up some of your favorite foods to go. This will effect their dining in i am sure with waits and even the necessary size of the restaurants, but they will also be growing in a new market. It is really a halfway point between a casual that they are know to be and a fast food place such as McDonald's. In a business that is becoming more and more competitive, this will keep Darden in the game.
It is great idea but I didint like that. because I want commucation with waiter during the service. Before I came to America I tried this system in my country. sometimes tables dont work in restaurant and you can send wrong order to kitchen. also anybody wont explain the meal or beverage. there are negative tings.
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ReplyDeleteRIB
I would probably enjoy using the online ordering features and the tablets, however many may disagree. Olive Garden is a family style restaurant which means parents and grandparents dine there as well. All the technology may be confusing and difficult to use for some of them.
ReplyDeleteCE
Online ordering and online reservations would be convenient for the younger generations. The elder ones likely wouldn't use it much, but the new technology is being implemented to cater to the future of technologically advanced individuals. The only thing I disagree with is putting tablets on the tables in restaurants. The point of going out to eat is to communicate with the other people you go with. Even if the tablets are just used for storing menus, it would be difficult for larger parties to read/order from, and I imagine it would be near impossible to keep them clean for an extended period of time.
ReplyDeleteEMW
I feel that the online ordering will boost to go revenue. This way the guest is not trying to order from memory. They actually have options that may encourage them to try something new or order something extra.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the company should not waste the time with pursuing an online reservation system. These are middle of the pack chain restaurants. They turn over a lot of tables per night. I feel like if they are taking reservations they are actually limiting the amount of guest they can take in at one time. If I have a table reserved for 8pm. That means that I cannot set anyone eels in that table starting at 7pm. Therefore, in holding one table I am actually limiting myself one table. Also online reservations services such as open table and rezbook cost money per month. The restaurant may get a discount because there are so many in them, but they are still goanna be charged something every month. I feel like the entire system is counterproductive. This is why Darden stock is down about 6% year to date and companies are jumping ship on them i.e. Red Lobster.
I feel like the use of tablets at longhorns is the same thing as putting lipstick on a pig. I worked at a restaurant in 2010 where we had two iPads. We would distribute them to our guest with our wine list in them. It would have tasting notes and little tidbits about the wine. We found that when we put them on a table our wine sales would rise slightly. However, we found that people would play with them and it would intern slow down our turnover rate. I feel like longhorns should focus on training their employees and working on their culinary skills. I went to longhorns two weeks ago with about 9other people. The service was ok but they failed at simple things like refilling the table’s water. The kitchen also messed up at least three dishes at the table. Remaking them cost the restaurant in food cost. The combination of messed up food and subpar service does not equal a good experience, or a returning customer.
JAF
While I see the benefit of advancing technology within restaurants, I think there is a point that it goes too far. Personally, I expect service when I go out to a restaurant. I expect human interaction on a certain level. Table-top tablets will take away from that human interaction. If I'm going to go out to eat, and instead am prompted to use a touch screen tablet, I might as well just get take-out and eat at home. The tablets take away from part of the experience of dining in at a restaurant. However, I do not think the online ordering or the reservations is a bad idea. It adds to the convenience and decreases the availability for human error. By ordering online, you don't have to worry about saying the name of the item right, or remembering what all of your friends wanted. Instead you just run down the menu online and add what you want to your cart. On top of that, it adds to convenience in that if you are in a noisy area when you want to order, you don't have to worry about the person on the other end being able to hear you. On the restaurant end of things, there is less of a chance of the host(ess) making an error while taking the order on the phone. With the reservations, I think it also adds to convenience. It helps to keep customers less frustrated with long waits. Instead of leaving home and getting to the restaurant and having to wait an hour, if the guest can see there is a long wait they can add their name and take a bit more time to get ready. This keeps the lobby of the restaurant less crowded and guests happier overall. So in general, I feel as though online ordering and reservations will help promote the growth of those restaurants, the table-top tablets may decrease growth in the restaurant because of the decrease in human interaction.
ReplyDeleteARW
It's a really intelligent idea for companies to get on the technology bandwagon, but it's important to not go overboard. To be able to immediately see wait times and make reservations an hour or less in advance just on your phone would be incredibly convenient for everybody, as well as for the text message to alert you when your table is ready. Many olive gardens already have that buzzer to tell you your reservation is ready, but having it on your phone opens up options to wander around, like if you were at a mall, or to just not deal with the obnoxious buzzer that twenty other people have probably already touched that night. On the other side touch screen ordering tablets really seem like a bad idea to me. Already people easily get frustrated with technology, or when food comes out wrong-add those together and it's a disaster. As other people have already said it might be kind of gross-if an establishment doesn't clean tables well imagine what a gross touch screen would look like. Not to mention you'll have children potentially banging on them and clumsy servers or customers spilling drinks on them, it just seems like a hassle. Not to mention the lack of service you get-I'd rather get a friendly smiling server than have to order from a tablet and not have my server say anything to me. So while sometimes technology is good-it can also just become over the top and is really obsolete in some situations.
ReplyDeleteAMJ
All the times I've been to restaurants and wishing they had a waiting device that made it so I could go out and shop while I waited for an available table and who would have thought Darden would be the first to think of it, I'm not surprised. I think it is a brilliant idea. With all the tech savvy people in the world today I really think people will make good use of this idea. I personally would use this concept. It would take some getting used to especially being able to make reservations online, just because I'm so used to just directly contacting the restaurant to handle that.
ReplyDeleteAD
This is something I am looking forward to using hopefully at restaurants other than the Olive Garden. It is a great idea and helps to save trips. There have been several times where I have forgotten to call a restaurant before heading there to see how long a wait may be. I like how it allows for room to plan accordingly, for example, filling in the wait time with some errands and such.
ReplyDeleteGMG
I believe that the idea of using more technology can be a huge competitive advantage. The use of tablets can be very efficient for the customer and can make them feel more relaxed and enjoy their time out. The idea of online reservation is brilliant. This saves the customer not only a lot of time, but gas as well. The guest can see ahead of time if the restaurant is fully booked or the wait is too long.
ReplyDeleteThere can be many problems with the use of technology also. First and foremost, stocking all of your restaurants with this technology will be unbelievably expensive. Second, technology breaks and has malfunctions. If your technology fails during a busy Friday night, the results can be catastrophic.
ARM
It is great that they are trying to introduce technology into their company, because it is going make thing a lot easier for everyone involved. Being able to see what table are available on what day and time and even how long the wait is going to allow for everyone to plan to their needs and their schedule. It will also allow for the hostess to know what times there restaurant going to business ahead of time and allow them to plan according. I also like the idea of being able to pay at you table. This allows for you to be able to pay when you ready and not have to wait for the waiter to return with a check and then the receipt. The down side to putting technology into their restaurants is that it may raise the price to where majority of the client can no long afford to go. The second down fall is that they may not have enough processing power, and this may cause the system to shut down or malfunction. The last down side is that they would be turning away people who are not big tech people.
ReplyDeleteSW
We live in a very fast paced society where everyone is always on the go and technology is supposed to make our lives easier. With both men and women having careers there is no one to cook dinner for the family on a busy weeknight. I could see people ordering Olive Garden food from their computer at work and picking it up on the way home for a no hassle dinner. It is very convenient and I think Olive Garden will definitely get more customers by offering this. I think the best idea in the article is that customers will be able to check in for an olive garden restaurant online and receive updates about how much longer their table will be. Who likes going out on a Friday or Saturday night and waiting an hour for a table in a crowded restaurant lobby? I know I don't. This will allow customers to wait in the comfort of their home until their table is ready. The only problem I foresee with all this new technology is the loss of human interaction and customer service. I think one of the major parts of going out to eat is the service received and the entire dining experience. The idea of adding table top tablets for customers takes away from the human contact and customer service that a real waiter can provide to guests.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is quickly consuming society and I think it is super smart for restaurants to adapt and change to this. With this being said, I really dislike the idea of having tablets at all the tables. When I go out to dinner it is so have a conversation with my friends and family. If there are tablets everywhere, people are going to be consumed with the technology and the personal interactions are gone. I do feel it is smart to be able to pay on the tablets though. This makes the paying process so much fast and easier. It can be annoying waiting for a waiter/waitress to get your check back to you and this will allow you to avoid that problem. Also this could help restaurant turnover because your staff has one less thing to worry about. When it comes to Olive Garden, I think it is extremely smart for them to have online ordering. Online ordering is quick, easy, and convenient and I think this will make them more of a profit. No one wants to sit and wait forever to get their food and by ordering online all they have to do is pick it up. I personally like to order online because it is easy, and if Olive Garden does do this, I would probably order from them.
ReplyDeleteSMK
I think introducing technology into there restaurants is good idea. Especially with our generation because we grew up using technology. Also I think its cool that you can view how long of a wait there is at each restaurant. It’s very convenient because you can plan your evening and you will receive a text message when a table is available. It will save the customers a lot of time, because many people don't want to wait along time to be seated. but if they were able to view this in advance it will make their evening more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI think they could run into problems to because even though technology is great thing it can also we unreliable. For example if it runs on Wi-Fi will the Wi-Fi be able to support that many tablets all at once. If they’re not going to work properly customers will get aggravated. Also Darden restaurants seem very family oriented many of the families go out to spend time with their families and get away for all the technology. But I think many of the older generation wouldn't like this added feature because technology is so new to them. It may be hard for them to understand how to use the tablets.
Overall I think it would worth a shot, get customers feedback and go from there. It would also help with advertising of the company.
SC
I think this could be a good idea since we live in a society that is so dependent on technology and this will be the next big thing in the restaurant field. It will also make ordering a lot faster if you are on a tight schedule. But on the bad side is that you will miss out on the dining experience that people go out for. it will give another reason for customers to use technology instead of interacting with the company that they have and the server. In all it would interesting to see what happens with this new idea they have.
ReplyDeleteSMC
I think online ordering will benefit Olive Garden because they will be able to fill more order by not have the constraints of the restaurant size. Also offering online ordering and online reservations will allow the restaurants to keep up with today's society and compete with the restaurants already
ReplyDeleteoffering these services. I think tabletop tablets may except the dining experience people go to a restaurant for. Overall I think technology will help to streamline the experience at a restaurant but it may make it worse if there are technological glitches and there is not as much staff there to pick up the slack. Also it may prevent some consumers from attending those restaurants if they are not as comfortable using technology as others.
LAW
In my opinion technology will be the downfall of the service industry and lead to a loss in jobs in our industry. With the introduction of tablets that can take your order, host stands you can sign-in to yourself, and online ordering who’s to say that a host or waitress is even necessary. There is a large pool of the population that is qualified to do these jobs that this new technology can accomplish in their place. All that would be necessary is someone to place the food at your table or deliver it to your car. We all benefit from human interaction no matter how trivial it may seem in our technological world, accepting these new "improvements" in our everyday life is a double-edged sword. These technological advancements may seem more effective and time saving, but is it really worth risking our humanity?
ReplyDeleteMM
I think that these tablets could definitely help to reduce stress and pressure amongst the waitstaff, which I'm sure would be appreciated. It could also potentially speed up service, which Olive Garden could definitely use. I just hope that this won't be another technology addition that starts to add to the job shortage we're experiencing. Waiting tables is a job that is essentially all about being personable and having a good memory, and these tablets could take over that portion of the job for them. What makes a good waiter a good waiter if they don't have to take orders anymore?
ReplyDeleteFor a series of chains that Americans have now long been familiar with, introducing technology in the ways that Darden plans to can be very beneficial. It gives both long-time customers and new ones something different to engage in during their dining experience. The concept of online ordering caters to the busy, fast-paced, and "i want it now" life style that many consumers have. The fact that customers will soon be able to review reservation waiting times also helps cut down on customer frustration and over-crowded restaurants, overall bettering the experience for the consumer. One of the few negatives that could be concerning for restaurants such as Olive Garden is that the implantation of such technologies will take away from the "real restaurant" dining experience, and push it further into the "fast food" category. What makes something a real restaurant? To me it is all about the service and the atmosphere. With this new technology, the service will definitely change, possibly become less personal. With faster service the atmosphere will also change, possibly becoming more rushed and hurried compared to the slower pace Olive Garden now exhibits.
ReplyDeleteThe increased use of technology in restaurants has both pros and cons. In my opinion, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. For instance, most people nowadays are always looking out for newest and latest technology. Bringing tablet-like devices into restaurants would generate a high level of interest while bringing another dimension of excitement in dining out. It also adds convenience to the dining experience, such as allowing the guests to order their food as quickly or as leisurely as they would like -- thus, being able to control the pace of service to their liking. Targeted marketing also can come into play, allowing guests to see recommendations for them based on their past picks.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cons, the level of personal one-on-one service from a real-life server would be reduced with the use of these tablets. However, I think there are ways to overcome this. Servers would still be there to serve the food to the guests. Therefore, this contact between the server and the customer can be enhanced because the server can focus on talking to the guests and creating an enjoyable dining experience.
Overall I think that introducing technology in restaurants such as Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse is a great idea.
IT
Although it may seem very beneficial to have online ordering, and tablets at each table, I think that they may be a distraction towards the reason everyone goes out to dinner. To simply have a good time with friends or family. Tablets, like phones, don't promote face to face contact at all. That being said, I do believe that online table reservations is a great idea. People, our age, rarely talk on the phone anymore and being able to look up wait times would be a lot easier than calling to check and putting your name down for a table. Also being able to receive a text when your table is ready is great because then customers can do something else while they wait. They would no longer have to wait within the restaurant for upwards of two hours for a table. Overall, what Darden is doing, by introducing technology into restaurants, seems like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteJF
I believe that online ordering will help Olive Garden. I think a lot of people do not like talking on the phone so ordering online will make them more comfortable. It also makes it easier on the restaurant because they do not need to worry about messing up orders by not hearing people on the phones. It makes the customers feel more at ease because they know everything was sent in right and should not be messed up. Online reservations sounds like a good idea. People now a days, like I said before, do not care for the idea of talking on the phone. This will make customers happy and more open to going to the restaurant. Overall, I think the new technology is a good idea and will get more customers to go.
ReplyDeleteI believe that using the tablets for taking orders and reservations is a great way to introduce future technologies. It is a great way to decrease messed up orders, and increase satisfaction of customers. Another great thing about the online system is allergy notices. You can clearly note an allergy and contact with the certain allergy can be reduced at all costs. Another great thing about this idea is the paying station at the table. I know some servers take a long time to get the check and return the money. As well as large groups of people going and splitting the check because that is always a hassle with servers. This experiment should be very successful for the future of the restaurants. I can see a very large turn out in the companies after this is a settled deal.
ReplyDeleteNMEC
I think this is a good idea but not for all restaurants. When I go out to eat I want to enjoy talking and being with the company of others. I don't like when people are on there phones when I'm having a conversation. I also wonder how this is going to work with the older generation who is not really into technology or know how to use it. I think the online reservations is fine but do we really need tablets to take our orders. I am not big on technology and how its taking over everyone lives.
ReplyDeleteJT
With all the technology out there this isn't a bad idea. With all of the things that can happen this isn't a bad thing. This could make it easier or harder for the restaurant. I think it is a good idea. This may ruined the guest experience at the restaurant.
ReplyDeleteTJF
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great idea, and also very convenient for Olive Garden to have online ordering, and online reservations. I think having new tech have both pros and cons.
For the pros, so many people are involved with technology these days. A lot of people have smart phones, lab top, tablets, and etc. Almost everyone knows how to use the technology. So, it will be so much easier for Olive garden to expect how many people in what hours, and also easier for the customers, because if they know the reservations, and the schedules, they don't have to wait forever to be seated. Also, I think it is a brilliant idea that customer can pay their bill on their table, which saves some time.
For cons, I think it will be very confusing and difficult for elderly. Also, if something goes wrong with the system, it will affect everyone at the Olive Garden. Moreover, it might be way too expensive to all the devices for each tables, and they have to fix it when it is broken.
Overall, I think having new tech in the restaurant is a great idea.
JS
I feel that this is a very different approach than I would expect from Darden, but I feel that it will be successful. Americans are always on the go. With ordering online especially from mobile devices will make it easy to pick up some of your favorite foods to go. This will effect their dining in i am sure with waits and even the necessary size of the restaurants, but they will also be growing in a new market. It is really a halfway point between a casual that they are know to be and a fast food place such as McDonald's. In a business that is becoming more and more competitive, this will keep Darden in the game.
ReplyDeleteTG
It is great idea but I didint like that. because I want commucation with waiter during the service. Before I came to America I tried this system in my country. sometimes tables dont work in restaurant and you can send wrong order to kitchen. also anybody wont explain the meal or beverage. there are negative tings.
ReplyDelete